INTRODUCTION

Established with a mission to nurture students into sensitive, ethical and critically conscious citizens who will contribute responsibly to their communities and society, the Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (SSLA) strongly believes in the importance of a more comprehensive education as preparation for career advancement and for the exercise of leadership.

The Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts offers students the opportunity to study a four-year full-time Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Arts Degree) or Bachelor of Science (Liberal Arts Degree) programme spanning eight semesters. The liberal arts programme offers students a wide range of courses across all disciplines with the freedom to pick and choose major and minor areas of specialization from areas conventionally considered to be academically incompatible. A student can therefore combine specialisation areas such as Business with Philosophy, Mathematics & Statistics with Anthropology, English with Media Studies, Biology with Computer Studies and many more. These are combinations much needed in the world today.

Mission

The SSLA’s learning milieu brings in principles of social justice and responsibility as a necessary part of the academic environment; so that our students celebrate the traditions of learning that integrate knowledge and participatory action.
The world is being dramatically reshaped by scientific and technological innovations, global interdependence, cross-cultural encounters, and changes in the balance of economic and political power. The world in which today’s students will make choices and compose lives is one of disruption, rather than certainty, and of interdependence rather than insularity. Based on our experiences with the liberal arts we are convinced that a sound liberal arts education provides a much needed holistic orientation to the world in which we live and will equip students with ideas, analytical and communication skills, and global perspectives, as well as the ability to synthesize knowledge and make informed value judgments. These essential learning outcomes are important for a globally engaged democracy, for a dynamic, innovation-fueled economy, and for the development of individual capacity. A programme of study that helps students develop these capacities is best described as liberal – and liberating – education.

Infrastructure / Facilities

SSLA has the following facilities for its students
Being part of the same campus as the Symbiosis Law School, SSLA shares the various facilities that SIU offers.

Library:

SSLA's library is growing rapidly and contains books from various fields, genres and areas of interest. Additionally, students and staff have membership to the nearby British Council Library and the library of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. They also have access to the libraries of all the other institutes of Symbiosis.

Sports and Fitness:

Students have the opportunity to use the sports and fitness facilities available at the various Symbiosis Campuses around Pune. These include a fully equipped fitness gym and a swimming pool in addition to other sporting grounds and facilities. There is fully equipped Symbiosis gym in the same building as SSLA.

WiFi:

The SSLA campus is wifi enabled and students can access the internet any time during college hours for educational purposes, research and communication.

Canteen & Mess:

Within our campus, students have access to a full-fledged canteen / cafeteria. Most students staying on residence use the mess facility at the Symbiosis hostel. The canteen within the campus serves a variety of snacks, drinks and meals. Students can get lunch, dinner and everything in between.

Programmes Offered

The SSLA’s learning milieu brings in principles of social justice and responsibility as a necessary part of the academic environment; so that our students celebrate the traditions of learning that integrate knowledge and participatory action.
The world is being dramatically reshaped by scientific and technological innovations, global interdependence, cross-cultural encounters, and changes in the balance of economic and political power. The world in which today’s students will make choices and compose lives is one of disruption, rather than certainty, and of interdependence rather than insularity. Based on our experiences with the liberal arts we are convinced that a sound liberal arts education provides a much needed holistic orientation to the world in which we live and will equip students with ideas, analytical and communication skills, and global perspectives, as well as the ability to synthesize knowledge and make informed value judgments. These essential learning outcomes are important for a globally engaged democracy, for a dynamic, innovation-fueled economy, and for the development of individual capacity. A programme of study that helps students develop these capacities is best described as liberal – and liberating – education.

Placement

SSLA has a career cell that comprises both students as well as faculty members to carry out programmes which will facilitate the easy progress of SSLA students into a career path of their choice (higher education/placement/social sector) after their last year at the college. Students of SSLA have a mandatory internship as part of their four-year programme. The career cell helps students learn to manage their internship, higher education and placement requirements. It also conducts workshops/ counselling sessions before students make the important choices of their major/minor areas of specialization

Method of Instruction

Learning methodology includes interactive seminars and group discussions, audio-visuals, lectures and guest speakers / experts, visits and workshops, team learning through projects and assignments, and self-learning through library reference and internships. Our students are evaluated on a continuous basis, which includes essays and term papers, projects, weekly activities / assignments, presentations, class participation and case studies. This is all facilitated due to the small classroom size and interactive pedagogy.

Profile of Past Students

SSLA attracts students from all parts of the country and abroad. The current batches have students from UK, Oman, Nepal, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Lucknow, among other places.

Career prospects

Students with a degree in Liberal Arts will graduate with analytical and communication skills, as well as an ability to synthesize knowledge and make informed decisions. For instance, a student with a Major in English and minor in Business Studies, with a position at a leading newspaper, will walk-in with a larger toolbox of skills, knowledge, and abilities than a regular graduate in English. Additionally, students will be well-prepared for the rigours of academic life at a graduate school of their choosing.
The first batch of students graduated from SSLA in June 2016 and is successfully pursuing their areas of interest today. Some students are studying for their masters at renowned institutes such as John Hopkins, New York Film Academy, etc. Others are working at organisations such as Lintas Lowe, Gateway House, Teach for India, etc.

Eligibility

A. Students graduating 12th from National / State Board and Non Resident Indians (NRI) students appearing for their 12th examinations in India.

B. Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) is mandatory for all applicants, except those who graduate 12th from the International Baccalaureate (IB) board.

C. Foreign Nationals (FN), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) & NRIs must apply through the Symbiosis Center for International Education (SCIE).

D.Diploma holders of International Baccalaureate (IB): IB Diploma Students with predicted scores may also apply: IB students are exempt from SET at the time everyone takes it since their final exams clash with the SET exam dates. They will appear for a SET like examination on the day of their PIWAT at SSLA. They will pay the SET registration fee as do other students.

E. XII (10+2) pass from any branch with minimum 50% marks for the general category and 45% for students of SC and ST category.

Reservation-As per Symbiosis International University norms.

Intake

Every year, 100 students are invited to join our college + over and above reservation for international students as per SIU policy.

Important telephone numbers, e-mail ids, and web site.

Contact Details

SSLA Office Ph. No: 020 66861200 Director Ph. No: 91 98232 7596

Admission Process

In keeping with the accepted SSLA admissions process from 2012, SSLA has a slightly differing admissions process for International Baccalaureate (IB) students. The details of the SSLA admissions process for regular and for IB students are as given below:

For all Indian Nationals graduating 12th in India:

1.Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET)

2.Recommended Test: SET General. However, candidates who have given Law / Design SET will also be considered if they have not given General SET for any reason. However, these applicants will only be considered if they fall in the top 100 of their respective Law / Design SET rankings.

3.Cut off for General SET will be decided as per the applications that SSLA receives.

4. SET = 50 Marks (i.e. 50 % of total - which is as per SIU guidelines)

5. Personal Interaction & Writing Ability Test (PI-WAT)

6. Both will be conducted on the same day for a particular student.

7. PI = 30 Marks, WAT = 20 Marks (Total PI-WAT = 50 Marks)

8. Merit List

- SET (50) + PI (30) + WAT (20) = 100 Marks

For International Baccalaureate (IB) students

1. All IB students are exempt from SET in keeping with the policy SSLA has been following since 2012. This is because SET clashes with IB exam dates.

2. Since they do not appear for SET, all IB applicants will be called for PI-WAT.

3. Apart from the personal interaction and writing ability test, these students will be required to sit for a test that will make up for their lack of SET score. This test will count for 50 Marks (i.e. 50% of total) and therefore will be in line with SIU UG admissions guidelines.

4. Personal Interaction & Writing Ability Test (PI-WAT)

- Both will be conducted on the same day for a particular student. As written above, the additional test will also be conducted on the same day.

- PI = 30 Marks, WAT = 20 Marks (Total PI-WAT = 50 Marks)

5. Merit List

- IB Students Test (50) + PI (30) + WAT (20) = 100 Marks

- Merit Lists will be created in a consolidated manner for IB and Non-IB students. There will be no separate merit list only for IB students.